The most difficult and interesting part for me when traveling is what to do
for dinner. At home I generally don’t have to make decisions about food let
alone where to eat. On the road, however, a diifferent story emerges. It
becomes even more interesting in a different country. There are several
restaurants in Oudenaarde and I’m working my way through them on this trip.
That actually makes part of the decision easier. When I got here, I drove
through the town noting a number of restaurants. I started at the one
furthest from my hotel and have been working my way towards the hotel one
restaurant at a time. No decisions about where to eat as I now have a plan
and a schedule!

Tonight I’m at the restaurant associated with the Cesar Hotel. It’s a
three-star restaurant, whatever that means. Since I don’t know who the
rating authority is, I can’t evaluate the rating, yet. Perhaps after
dinner…? There are quite a few patrons here which is a good sign.

The next problem is what to eat. Tonight I remembered to bring my Berlitz
language guide with me to figure out what the menu items mean in English
and then found that the restaurant had a menu in English. Maybe that’s part
of a 3-star rating? I’ve ordered a steak with a pepper sauce and am looking
forward to that. It’ll likely come with fries (most things do here in
Belgium, the inventor of French Fries). Then depending on how much food was
served and how full I am (sorry, Taco Bell, but you don’t have the
franchise on being “full”), I’ll order a Dame Blanche — vanilla ice cream
with a hot chocolate sauce. The chocolate is “to die for” in Belgium.

All restaurants are smoking allowed with no non-smoking areas. The guy at
the table next to me has lit up a pretty foul-smelling cigarette.
Fortunately, they look to be leaving soon. I’m still somewhat surprised at
how many peiple on my staff smoke. It’s a much higher percentage in
Oudenaarde than in Pocatello.

Last night I drove into Gent to meet a number of people for dinner,
including a couple of people on my staff from Pocatello who are also here
on business. We ate at a Thai restaurant and most of us ordered the “Chef’s
Buffette,” a selection of various Thai dishes which we then shared. That
place will stay on my list. It was very good, paticularly the “Thai Cake”
for dessert.

I’ve finished my dinner. It was quite good and I’d come back here again for
dinner. The pepper sauce could have been more “peppery,” but no other
critique. No Dame Blanche, however. I’m full (which is a good thing to
feel, but bad for the waistline). From here it’s back to the hotel and into
a bath. Then lights out for the end of another day here in Oudenaarde,
Belgium.

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